Fluid dispenser device of the multi-dose type

ABSTRACT

A fluid dispenser device comprising a body ( 1 ), a fluid reservoir ( 3 ), a dispensing member, such as a pump or a metering valve having a piston or a valve member that is mounted to move axially, which dispensing member is fitted to the reservoir ( 3 ), and an actuating element ( 5 ) mounted to move between a rest position and an actuating position, for actuating the dispensing member and thus for selectively dispensing the fluid contained in the reservoir ( 3 ), said fluid dispenser device being characterized in that the direction in which said actuating element ( 5 ) moves is different from, and in particular perpendicular to, the axial direction in which the piston or the valve member of the dispensing member moves, the device further comprising force-regulating means for predetermining the force to be exerted on the actuating element ( 5 ) for actuating the dispensing member, said force being constant each time the device is actuated, independently of the quantity of fluid contained in the reservoir ( 3 ) and/or of the resistance of the piston or of the valve member of the dispensing member.

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser device, and more particularly to a fluid spray device of the multi-dose type having a lateral actuating system.

[0002] In the field of multi-dose spray devices, several systems for laterally actuating the pump of the device have been developed recently.

[0003] Such a system is generally constituted by a body containing the entire spray device and provided with a pivotally mounted lever system acting against the end-wall of the fluid reservoir and pushing it axially, during actuation, towards the dispensing head so as reproduce the movement of the hand during standard axial actuation.

[0004] Such systems suffer from numerous problems. In particular, they do not make it possible for a standard assembly method to be implemented by the manufacturer of the fluid to be dispensed, which is generally a pharmaceutical, because it is then not possible merely to insert the unit formed by the reservoir and by the pump into the dispensing head, as is usual in devices that are actuated by hand. In addition, such systems make lateral actuation essential, even though the user might, for various reasons, such as dexterity problems, a habit difficult to change, etc. sometimes prefer to actuate the device in the conventional manner, i.e. by pressing by hand on the end-wall of the reservoir. In addition, all of the existing lateral actuating systems do not solve the problem which is typical with most spray pumps and which relates to the dose-metering accuracy and the spray quality being dependent on the speed and the force with which the user actuates the device. Thus, partial actuation can result in a partial dose being dispensed or in the spray quality being degraded. In addition, numerous pumps generate suction as they operate, i.e. while the fluid is being dispensed, suction is generated inside the reservoir, which suction does not prevent the pump from operating but it makes the force necessary to move the piston inside the pump increase with increasing suction. That requires the user to exert an increasing force on the actuating element as the fluid contained in the reservoir is being dispensed.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid dispenser device that does not reproduce the above-mentioned drawbacks.

[0006] In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a fluid dispenser device that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and to assemble.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a fluid dispenser device that guarantees excellent spray quality and delivery of a full dose of fluid each time it is actuated, independently of the resistance of the pump and/or of the quantity of fluid and/or of the actuating force exerted by the user on the actuating element.

[0008] Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid dispenser device that can be actuated by a lateral actuating system or by a standard actuating system, i.e. by pushing axially on the end-wall of the reservoir towards the dispensing orifice.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is also to provide a laterally-actuated fluid dispenser device in which assembly of the device by the fluid manufacturer is not modified by the presence of the lateral actuating system, i.e., after the reservoir has been filled, the unit formed by the reservoir and by the dispensing member is merely fixed inside the remainder of the device.

[0010] To these ends, the present invention provides a fluid dispenser device comprising a body, a fluid reservoir, a dispensing member, such as a pump or a metering valve having a piston or a valve member that is mounted to move axially, which dispensing member is fitted to the reservoir, and an actuating element mounted to move between a rest position and an actuating position, for actuating the dispensing member and thus for selectively dispensing the fluid contained in the reservoir, said fluid dispenser device being characterized in that the direction in which said actuating element moves is different from, and in particular perpendicular to, the axial direction in which the piston or the valve member of the dispensing member moves, the device further comprising force-regulating means for predetermining the force to be exerted on the actuating element for actuating the dispensing member, said force being constant each time the device is actuated, independently of the quantity of fluid contained in the reservoir and/or of the resistance of the piston or of the valve member of the dispensing member.

[0011] Advantageously, the actuating element has an end portion provided with a cam surface which co-operates with the reservoir or a fixing ring adapted to fix the dispensing member to the reservoir so that the actuating element being moved substantially radially into its actuating position causes the reservoir to be moved axially relative to the piston or to the valve member of the dispensing member so as to dispense a dose of fluid.

[0012] Advantageously, said cam surface comprises a sloping surface co-operating with at least one projection integral with the reservoir or with the fixing ring.

[0013] In a first embodiment, said force-regulating means comprise resilient means, such as a spring, co-operating with said actuating element, and which, in the compressed position, urge the actuating element towards its actuating position, and trigger means co-operating with said actuating element to hold it in its rest position, said trigger means being moved by hand to release the actuating element so that it is moved into its actuating position by said resilient means as compressed, with a constant force predetermined by the characteristics of said resilient means.

[0014] Advantageously, the resilient means co-operate with a loading element which is moved by hand by the user before the device is actuated, in order to compress said resilient means.

[0015] Advantageously, said loading element is a closure cover for closing off the dispensing orifice of the device, said cover being pivotally mounted on the body of said device, said trigger means being implemented in the form of one or two side buttons formed on resilient arms secured to or integral with the actuating element, said buttons being urged by the resilient arms into corresponding openings in the body when the actuating element is in the rest position, so as to lock the actuating element relative to the body, said buttons being pushed to deform said resilient arms in order to interrupt the interaction between the buttons and the body, thereby releasing the actuating element.

[0016] In a second embodiment, said force-regulating means are implemented by a varying gradient of said sloping surface forming the cam surface of the actuating element.

[0017] Optionally, the actuating element is provided with return means for returning it from its actuating position to its rest position after each occasion on which the device is actuated.

[0018] Advantageously, the reservoir and said dispensing member form a first unit and said body, said actuating element and said force-regulating means form a second unit, said first unit being fixed, in particular by snap-fastening, into said second unit such that the end-wall of the reservoir remains accessible for being actuated by hand by pushing axially on said end-wall of the reservoir.

[0019] In a first variant embodiment of the invention, said dispensing member is a pump including a piston.

[0020] In a second variant embodiment of the invention, said dispensing member is a metering valve including a valve member.

[0021] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the following detailed description of two embodiments of the invention, given with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given by way of non-limiting example, and in which:

[0022]FIG. 1 is a partially-cutaway diagrammatic section view of a first embodiment of a fluid dispenser device of the present invention, in the rest position;

[0023]FIG. 2 is a view similar to the FIG. 1 view, in the actuating position;

[0024]FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway section view of a second embodiment of the invention, in the rest position;

[0025]FIG. 4 is a view similar to the FIG. 3 view, in the actuating position;

[0026]FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic horizontal section view, seen looking from above, of the device shown in FIG. 3, in the rest position; and

[0027]FIG. 6 is a view similar to the FIG. 5 view, in the actuating position.

[0028] With reference to the drawings, the device of the invention includes a reservoir 3 to which a dispensing member (not shown) such as a metering valve or a pump is fixed. The examples shown in the drawings relate to a device having a pump which operates with a piston moving inside a metering chamber to deliver a metered quantity or “dose” of fluid, as is well known, but the invention is also applicable to inhalers of the metered dose inhaler (MDI) type having a metering valve and generally used upside down. In which case, it is the valve member of the valve that moves relative to the reservoir to deliver the dose.

[0029] The dispensing member, referred to below by the term “pump”, is fitted to the reservoir 3 preferably by means of a fixing ring 8. The unit formed by the reservoir and the pump is inserted into a body 1 which incorporates a nasal applicator 2 provided with a dispensing orifice. Although it is shown in the examples in the form of a nasal-type dispenser, the invention is also applicable to other types of dispenser devices, e.g. inhalers of the oral type or the like.

[0030] In the invention, the device includes an actuating element 5 which is adapted to actuate the pump to deliver a dose of fluid. The actuating element 5 is disposed on one side, and it is mounted to move in a direction that is different from and in particularly substantially perpendicular to the axial direction in which the piston moves in the pump. Thus, the actuating element 5 has an end portion provided with a cam surface 6 which co-operates with one or more projections 7 provided on the reservoir 3 or on the fixing ring 8. In the examples shown, the radial projections 7 are implemented in the form of pairs which are integral with the fixing ring 8. The cam surface of the actuating element 5 is advantageously made in the form of a slope 6 which co-operates with said projections 7 to transform a substantially radial movement of the actuating element 5 into an axial movement of the piston of the pump so as to dispense a dose of fluid. When the actuating element 5 ceases to be pressed, said actuating element is returned to its rest position by the return spring of the piston.

[0031] In the invention, the device includes force-regulating means which are adapted to predetermine the force exerted by the actuating element 5 on said projections 7, independently of the resistance of the pump and/or of the quantity of liquid in the reservoir and/or of the actuating force exerted by the user on the actuating element 5.

[0032] In a first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the force-regulating means comprise resilient means such as a spring 15 which co-operates with the actuating element 5 to urge it towards its actuating position when the spring is compressed. The force-regulating means further include trigger means 16 that are preferably implemented in the form of one or more side buttons. The buttons 16 retain the actuating element in the rest position (shown in FIG. 5) against the force exerted by the spring 15, until the user presses on the buttons 16 to release the locking of the actuating element 5, thereby enabling it to move into its actuating position under the effect of the resilient force of the spring 15, and thus to move the reservoir 3 relative to the piston of the pump to deliver a dose. It is thus the characteristics of the spring 15 that determine the force exerted by the actuating element on the pump, and therefore the actuating force on the pump is independent of the force exerted by the user on the actuating element 5. Advantageously, the spring 15 co-operates with a loading element 18 which is moved by hand to compress said spring 15. As shown in the drawings, the loading element 18 may be implemented in the form of a cover which, in the rest position, closes off the dispensing orifice of the device, and which is mounted on the body 1 to pivot about a pivot pin 17, said cover 18 further being provided with a transverse control peg 19 which co-operates with a lever 20. When the cover 18 is opened, as shown in FIG. 2, the peg 19 acts against the lever 20 which compresses the spring 15 against an internal wall 21 formed inside the actuating element 5. In this position, the actuating element 5 is held in its rest position by the pair of buttons 16. Preferably, the buttons 16 are formed on flexible arms (not shown) which are secured to or integral with the actuating element 5, and which, when the actuating element 5 is in the rest position, are urged resiliently into holes 22 in the body 1. When the user presses laterally on the buttons 16, which are formed in suitable manner, they are disengaged from the retaining holes 22, thereby releasing the actuating element 5 which, under drive from the spring 15, slides inside the sleeve 4 of the body 1 to actuate the pump. It should be noted that, while the actuating element is being displaced, the pivot pin 17 via which the cover 18 pivots on the body 1 does not prevent the actuating element 5 from moving because said cover is provided with two suitable slots (not shown) in its sides so as to prevent any interference with the pegs forming the pivot pin 17.

[0033] Optionally, the actuating element may further be provided with resilient return means that return the actuating element to its rest position after each occasion on which the device is actuated. Generally, however, the force of the return spring of the piston of the pump suffices to return the actuating element 5 to its rest position, by means of the projections 7 pushing on the sloping surface 6. Preferably, while the actuating element 5 is returning to its rest position 16, the buttons 16 return automatically into the holes 22 in the body, and the device is ready to be used again.

[0034] If desired, said return means for returning the actuating element 5 to its rest position can be actuated only when the cover 18 is returned to its closure position in which it closes off the dispensing orifice as shown in FIG. 1. In which case, it is guaranteed that the user must close the cover, and thus protect the dispensing orifice of the device, after each occasion on which it is used.

[0035] In FIGS. 3 to 6, a second embodiment of the invention is shown that differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the device does not have the pre-compressible resilient means for exerting a force on the actuating element 5 during actuation of the device. In the example shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the force exerted by the user on the lateral actuating element 5 is directly transformed into a force for axially moving the piston of the pump by the slope 6 forming the cam surface and co-operating with the peg 7 integral with the fixing ring 8. In this embodiment, the force-regulating means are implemented in the form of a varying gradient of said sloping surface 6. During the actuating stroke, pumps generally change their resistance, and therefore the force required for actuation. Such increases in resistance during the stroke take place sometimes constantly, and sometimes very quickly. An appropriate variation in the inclination of the cam surface 6 can fully compensate for such increases in resistance, thereby enabling actuation be safe, with resulting accurate metering and excellent spraying, while exerting a constant force on the actuating element 5.

[0036] The device of the invention thus offers the following advantages:

[0037] the dose and the quality of the spray are independent of the pump and of the user because they are determined by the characteristics of the spring 15 in the first embodiment, and by the varying gradient of the sloping surface 6 in the second embodiment;

[0038] actuation is lateral, and is therefore often easier and more comfortable for the user;

[0039] handling is easier because the protective cover of the nasal applicator, which cover is always present in this type of device and must always be removed before using the device and then put back in place after use, is, in the present invention, secured to the device and therefore cannot be lost, so that any risk of hygiene problems related to contamination at the dispensing orifice is removed;

[0040] the lateral actuating system unit is assembled onto the body 1, in the vicinity of the nasal applicator 2 of the device so that the end-wall of the reservoir 3 is freely accessible; this makes it possible for standard conventional actuation to be performed by axially pressing on the bottom of the reservoir if necessary; this can be decisive in the event of an attack, e.g. an asthma attack, when the user, in a panic, attempts to actuate the device in the manner to which the user has been accustomed for many years, i.e. by pushing on the end-wall of the reservoir;

[0041] assembly by the manufacturer of the fluid to be dispensed is not modified by the presence of a lateral actuating system, it being possible for the unit formed by the reservoir and by the pump to be mounted simply in the body, as in existing devices; the lateral actuation in no way modifies assembly of the device, which is a considerable advantage; and

[0042] since the lateral actuating system is independent of the size of the reservoir, the present invention makes it possible to adapt reservoirs of various dimensions to fit inside the same body 1 without modifying the production line on which the device is manufactured.

[0043] Although shown in relation to a pump having a piston and operating in the upright position in the drawings, the invention, as specified above, is also applicable to metering valves for inhalers of the MDI type. In addition, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the figures, and modifications may be considered within the ambit of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims. 

1/ A fluid dispenser device comprising a body (1), a fluid reservoir (3), a dispensing member, such as a pump or a metering valve having a piston or a valve member that is mounted to move axially, which dispensing member is fitted to the reservoir (3), and an actuating element (5) mounted to move between a rest position and an actuating position, for actuating the dispensing member and thus for selectively dispensing the fluid contained in the reservoir (3), said fluid dispenser device being characterized in that the direction in which said actuating element (5) moves is different from, and in particular perpendicular to, the axial direction in which the piston or the valve member of the dispensing member moves, the device further comprising force-regulating means for predetermining the force to be exerted on the actuating element (5) for actuating the dispensing member, said force being constant each time the device is actuated, independently of the quantity of fluid contained in the reservoir (3) and/or of the resistance of the piston or of the valve member of the dispensing member. 2/ A device according to claim 1, in which the actuating element (5) has an end portion provided with a cam surface (6) which co-operates with the reservoir (3) or a fixing ring (8) adapted to fix the dispensing member to the reservoir (3) so that the actuating element (5) being moved substantially radially into its actuating position causes the reservoir (3) to be moved axially relative to the piston or to the valve member of the dispensing member so as to dispense a dose of fluid. 3/ A device according to claim 2, in which said cam-surface comprises a sloping surface (6) co-operating with at least one projection (7) integral with the reservoir (3) or with the fixing ring (8). 4/ A device according to any preceding claim, in which said force-regulating means comprise resilient means (15) such as a spring, co-operating with said actuating element (5), and which, in the compressed position, urge the actuating element (5) towards its actuating position, and trigger means (16) co-operating with said actuating element (5) to hold it in its rest position, said trigger means (16) being moved by hand to release the actuating element (5) so that it is moved into its actuating position by said resilient means (15) as compressed, with a constant force predetermined by the characteristics of said resilient means (15). 5/ A device according to claim 4, in which the resilient means (15) co-operate with a loading element (18) which is moved by hand by the user before the device is actuated, in order to compress said resilient means (15). 6/ A device according to claim 5, in which said loading element is a closure cover (18) for closing off the dispensing orifice of the device, said cover being pivotally mounted on the body (1) of said device, said trigger means being implemented in the form of one or two side buttons (16) formed on resilient arms secured to or integral with the actuating element (5), said buttons (16) being urged by the resilient arms into corresponding openings (22) in the body (1) when the actuating element (5) is in the rest position, so as to lock the actuating element (5) relative to the body (1), said buttons (16) being pushed to deform said resilient arms in order to interrupt the interaction between the buttons (16) and the body (1), thereby releasing the actuating element (5). 7/ A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which said force-regulating means are implemented by a varying gradient of said sloping surface (6) forming the cam surface of the actuating element (5). 8/ A device according to any preceding claim, in which said actuating element (5) is provided with return means for returning it from its actuating position to its rest position after each occasion on which the device is actuated. 9/ A device according to any preceding claim, in which the reservoir (3) and said dispensing member form a first unit and said body (1), said actuating element (5) and said force-regulating means form a second unit, said first unit being fixed, in particular by snap-fastening, into said second unit such that the end-wall (3 a) of the reservoir (3) remains accessible for being actuated by hand by pushing axially on said end-wall of the reservoir. 10/ A device according to any preceding claim, in which said dispensing member is a pump including a piston. 11/ A device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which said dispensing member is a metering valve including a valve member. 